Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday criticised the Centre over the cancellation of select trains ahead of the party’s planned protest in the national capital, saying the government should shut down the entire country if it feared young people. His remarks came a day before the demonstration scheduled at Jantar Mantar on October 10, where the party and other groups planned to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. “Shut down the entire country if you are scared of the youth,” Dipke told reporters, questioning the restrictions imposed ahead of the protest. The CJP founder’s remarks followed the Railway Board’s decision to cancel select Mail and Express trains scheduled to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations between 4 am and 2 pm on October 10.

The Railways cited anticipated traffic congestion around the two stations as the reason for the cancellations, with the measures intended to address possible travel disruptions during the planned demonstration. The train cancellations became a point of contention as protesters and supporters prepared to travel to Delhi for the gathering. Dipke criticised the decision as an attempt to restrict the movement of young people seeking to participate in the demonstration. The planned protest was part of the CJP’s campaign against the SIR exercise, which the party has questioned over alleged irregularities. The allegations remain part of a wider political dispute, with opposition parties raising concerns about the electoral roll revision process and the functioning of the Election Commission.

Security arrangements for the protest also became a subject of debate after Delhi Police reportedly urged the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to close 57 metro stations ahead of the gathering. The proposed closures were intended to restrict movement around areas where large crowds were expected, according to the reports. The request raised concerns about the impact on ordinary commuters and people travelling through the capital. However, the proposed station closures were distinct from the confirmed train cancellations, and the implementation of any metro restrictions depended on the relevant authorities’ decisions and official announcements. Delhi Police had also denied permission for the CJP’s proposed demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Dipke challenged the decision, arguing that Jantar Mantar was a designated protest venue and questioning why organisers needed permission to hold a demonstration there.

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His remarks brought the dispute over transport restrictions into a broader debate about the right to peaceful assembly and the conditions under which public demonstrations can be organised. Authorities, meanwhile, face the task of managing crowds and maintaining public order while ensuring that security measures do not unnecessarily disrupt daily life across the city. The planned demonstration centres on the SIR process, through which electoral authorities revise voter lists. The CJP and other critics have alleged irregularities in the exercise and called for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Opposition parties have also questioned aspects of the process, making the revision of electoral rolls a point of political contention. The Election Commission’s role in maintaining accurate electoral rolls is central to the dispute, although allegations of irregularities should be distinguished from findings established through official investigations or legal proceedings.

The controversy over the protest highlights the competing concerns surrounding large political gatherings in the national capital. Organisers and supporters argue that citizens must be able to exercise their democratic rights, while authorities may impose lawful restrictions to address public safety, crowd management and traffic congestion. The cancellation of select trains and the request for metro station closures intensified the debate over how such measures affect access to demonstrations and the movement of residents. Dipke’s remarks added a sharp political response to the restrictions, while the planned protest remained focused on the CJP’s demand for accountability over the electoral roll revision process. Further developments would depend on official transport arrangements, security decisions and any subsequent proceedings concerning the demonstration.

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